May 30, 2019

State preparing for a ‘full count’ in the next census

U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham and U.S. Sen. Tom Udall listen to local elected officials and stakeholders in Los Lunas.

New Mexico faces challenges in getting a full and accurate count for the next census—and for receiving the federal funding that comes with it. So the state, and others, are getting ready in advance of the 2020 census.

As part of the preparations, U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham traveled to New Mexico this week and met with stakeholders and public officials, including both U.S. Senators who represent the state.

As part of his trip, Dillingham traveled with U.S. Sen. Tom Udall and local elected officials and stakeholders in a remote part of Los Lunas on Tuesday.

The community was an example of a hard-to-count area of the state.

“One of these elected (officials) called one of these areas pretty hardcore where we went to get through the gates, through the fences, through the dogs to have any communication with the residents,” Udall said.

And that’s after finding the house. Many roads are unmarked and the layout of trailers or other houses can be confusing to those not familiar with the area.

This is why they seek what one stakeholder called “hyperlocal trusted resources.” These can be newspapers, like the Valencia County New-Bulletin, or a local grocery store, like the Mana Mart, whose owners are well-known to those in the community. By seeking out these resources, census workers can get a more accurate count.

Dillingham agreed that cooperation, including with local officials, will be important in 2020.

“We’re going to be working with the county and city governments and the local complete count committees,” he told NM Political Report.

What the census does

The census takes place every decade, as outlined in the U.S. Constitution, and seeks to count every resident of the United States. The results are used to draw lines for elected representation like members of Congress and local offices—but also to distribute federal resources.

“It has direct impacts on people’s lives in terms of resources that come to the state for things like health care and transportation,” explained U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich on Thursday.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham agreed that an accurate count is needed—and highlighted efforts by the state to make it happen. She also said she was “glad” that Dillingham appeared in New Mexico.

“It is essential that the 2020 Census accurately and fairly reflects New Mexico’s population in order to ensure that our state receives every federal dollar to which we are entitled,” she told NM Political Report in a statement. “New Mexico is starting early, establishing the Complete Count Commission to promote the Census and ensure that resources are focused on hard-to-count areas, of which there are many across the state.”

The state has allocated $3.5 million to help with the count and the Complete Count Commission effort.

But there are concerns about how the responses will be used by the current administration

Citizenship question

One is the Donald Trump administration’s proposed question about citizenship.

The controversial addition to the census questionnaire would be the first time in decades that such a question was asked—and with the Trump administration’s hardline stance on immigration, the fear is that this addition would depress responses and so provide an inaccurate count.

The debate over the question has reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Dillingham said he expects the court to rule by the end of June on whether or not the question can legally be added.

“We’re ready to proceed either way, consistent with the court’s decision,” Dillingham said.

For his part, Udall opposes the question’s inclusion in the census.

And Heinrich sought to reassure undocumented residents that the information could not be used by law enforcement.

“If you’re responding to the census questionnaires, whoever’s answering, we need an accurate count in that,” Heinrich said. “And that data is not shared in any way with law enforcement or immigration enforcement.”

Dillingham said that they swear an oath of confidentiality of the information and “if we violate that, we can go to prison for a long time and pay fines that none of us can afford.”

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New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday a slight easing of COVID-19 restrictions, while also announcing some increased restrictions as of Saturday, May 16.
While Lujan Grisham said the state would start allowing retailers and some other businesses to open to the public with capacity limitations, she also said the new public health emergency order will require everyone in the state to wear a face and nose covering when in public spaces.
She said many businesses, with the exception of entertainment businesses like movie theaters, could open this weekend as long as they keep their capacity at 25 percent of what the fire code allows. She said those businesses must also continue to take certain precautions against spreading COVID-19.
Large retail “box” stores would have their capacity capped at 20 percent.

A day after state health officials announced the highest single-day number of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, they announced 129 additional confirmed cases and five additional deaths related to the disease. On Saturday, the state Department of Health announced five additional cases at the Otero County Prison Facility.

The Las Cruces-based U.S. Census Bureau reopened its field office and announced census workers will follow social distancing as they hand deliver census packets to households in southern New Mexico. The office, which covers Catron, Chaves, Currey, De Baca, Doña Ana, Eddy, Grant, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Luna, Otero, Roosevelt, Sierra, Socorro and Valencia counties, opened Wednesday.

Two progressive Democrats, Siah Correa Hemphill and Pam Cordova, who are challenging incumbents who lean more to the right within the Democratic party, are getting a boost in their campaign efforts. Correa Hemphill is running against incumbent Democratic state Sen. Gabriel Ramos.

Members of Congress from New Mexico and Arizona sought answers about a $3 million contract given to a former White House staffer to supply masks to the Navajo Nation. The masks may be substandard, as the Navajo Nation deals with the highest rate of COVID-19 cases in the country.

UPDATE: Wednesday afternoon, the federal government reversed their decision on whether to continue pursuing the controversial citizenship question on the 2020 Census. Trump wrote on Twitter, "We are absolutely moving forward, as we must, because of the importance of the answer to this question."

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A day after state health officials announced the highest single-day number of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, they announced 129 additional confirmed cases and five additional deaths related to the disease.

State Human Services Department Secretary Dr. David Scrase offered some data supporting the use of masks and social distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
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Matthew Reichbach is the editor of the NM Political Report. The former founder and editor of the NM Telegram, Matthew was also a co-founder of New Mexico FBIHOP with his brother and one of the original hires at the groundbreaking website the New Mexico Independent. Matthew has covered events such as the Democratic National Convention and Netroots Nation and formerly published, “The Morning Word,” a daily political news summary for NM Telegram and the Santa Fe Reporter.